I felt they went well – I received positive response, felt calmer as the interview continued and got on well with the interviewers.

Please comment further on any particular aspects/topics of your interview(s).

Managed to steer the conversation in a direction with which I was comfortable, although at the same time I was pushed to my limit.

What questions were you asked during your interview(s)?

Mostly questions about the texts on my personal statement, and a few others such as ‘define a simile’ which then branched out into far more challenging territory. I also had to analyse two texts, one in each interview.

What did you wear to your interview(s), and why?

Black trousers, shirt and smart jumper/cardigan with smart shoes – felt that this was an occasion which required fairly formal wear and I did not want to be panicking if I didn’t look as smart as the other applicants.

Impressions

What was your general impression of the college that you applied to/any others you visited?

Loved the college at interview – friendly atmosphere, quite far out from the centre of town/English dept but with a bike, that won’t be a problem. I wasn’t too impressed at the open day, but the interviews made me fall in love with the place.

If seen, please describe the college accommodation eg. size of rooms, facilities.

Rooms a standard size – fairly big for uni accommodation – I was given an ensuite bathroom with mine which was bigger than I expected. Furniture all fairly basic but newish, lots of storage space.

How was the food provided by the college?

Really, really good.

How did you find the tutors in the college?

Thought they were lovely – all had a sense of humour and we appeared to get on quite well, despite the fact that I’d been warned that some of them could be quite harsh/challenging.

Generally, what were the college students like (from what you saw of them)?

I have a friend who goes to the college who is lovely – I think, as expected, there is a mixture of people, but they all seem to work hard and play fairly hard. They were all pretty welcoming.

Final stage

Please describe your feelings during the time you waited for the decision.

Absolutely terrified. I took a gap year for the purpose of reapplying, and would have been devastated if I hadn’t received a place.

Please describe what happened when you received the letter/the call telling you whether you had a place or not.

Received a phone call from a tutor at Hugh’s who told me that I had a place and that they’d be sending me reading lists etc. later in the year.

Looking back

If you were to re-live that year of your life again, would you still apply?

Definitely. It was hard work but it’s paid off.

What advice do you have for potential applicants based on your experiences?

Don’t be afraid to reapply if you want another chance – it can, in fact, offer you the advantage of experience. Also make sure that your other universities are ones you would consider as ‘real’ choices, as the admissions process is tough and will, in lots of cases, end without an offer. A second and third uni as a backup where you would be happy is always a good plan.

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